PREDILECTION
by Tulusu
Summary: It was easy to run and run away from relationships. But then again .. that was before the golden bridle. A child.
1. Default Chapter

a/n. AVP, a/p doesn't belong to me. Otherwise it'd be so much dorkier.

PREDELICTION:

Spook-night. Dia de los muertes. All Hallow's Eve. A time for lots of candy or scary movie marathons. The perfect time to be allowed to dress up into something naughty and dance around with your other girl pals. To booty-bounce anti-social wall flowers of boys and laugh your heads off over green-tinted koolaid and lime margaritas. I knew Hallow Ween was Skank-Day, for hitched up skirts and a little too much nunga-nunga showing. But I had chosen around febuary to begin work on a Gone With the Wind costume, so it would be a hoot trying to "take it down" with my friends. Besides, a little too much nunga-nunga would still show.

My friends, like I thought, were mostly skimpy bunnies and other animals, body appendages, or lip-in-o-position splendor. But they really had fun picking on me and my fabulous Scarlet O'Hera costume. Mainly, because I'm so not Miss Drama. I'm the brain-box, usually comanding and loud, and not bi-polar. I'm the phycologist, after all. Also, I'm usually something cooler-weirder, like an Alien, or a cosplaying princess from some crumy eighties anime. Always the joker. Never the hoochie. So this low-cleaveged-blessed costume was a HOOT! A royal HOOT!

Everyone had great fun. Kate, a witch with a really pointy hat, who USE to be Katie till she "grew up," stood up under one of my skirts, the very first time she took a look at my guise. Miachel, a lion in an adorable too-big outfit, pointed at my costume, or rather my nunga-nungage, and said, "Wow. Real .. overdone. Funny." Yeah .. Miachel's an accountant. That's his version of "Hoot." Pointing at my small pathetic breasts and saying, "Overdone." But, in order to explain our roots, we took Greek together in college, so he's stuck to my side by doing my taxes and all the nasty bugger that I don't think about and leave to poor abused Mikey until around June. Jana announced that she wanted a picture, only she took a picture top-up. "Say Porn star!"

"Porn Star!" I gave a dorgy smile, and she took a shot, which would probably, and sadly, be placed on her blog with a big blue smudge over my face.

And just as I speculated, booty bouncing anti-social dorgs in my get-up was fantastic laughs. Of course I don't sexually harass them. Whenever they agree to a dance, I do the snorkel, the disco, the monkey, the surfer, the macarana. The waltz, the fox trot, the slow dance, and then .. I bounce them. Usualy their really into it, and get the joke. "Oh YEAH .." is usually followed by it. I bounced a number of dorgs; Scream, a drag queen, Ken, and Captin Kirk. But the best hadn't come yet.

Someone stood amoungst all the dancers, hands at sides, slouched, just kind of watching with amusement, obviously the victim of the third-wheel set up. They were in full comstume as a Predator. I LOVE the game, but I like being the alien. Predators are SO smexy to me. But let's keep that our little secret. Or rather my little dirty secret. When it saw me, the Prdeator's hands went on its hips, and it looked my way.

"Howdy, inttergalactic warrior. What brings you to these here parts?"

"Females," He answered intelligibly.

"And does the space suit dance?"

The predator shurgged, then did "the hitch hicker" ditty. Tres amusing, watching a predator's armor turn around and proceed to do the robot. I held out my hands, and taught him the waltz. His armored legs poked into my legs as we turned, which was okay through about twelve layers of under-skirts. He caught onto everything I did pretty quickly, for a skirt chaser.

"You're a pretty good dancer."

He didn't reply. Techno started to play, and he did some weird tribal looking war-dance. I did the shawl dance, which he seemed to be amused by. "You're a good dancer," said my own voice to me.

I grinned. "Wicked! Did you make your costume? Where'd you put the tape recorder?"

He shrugged. Store bought.

"Okay .." I said to myself, before going back to dancing.

Later on, we booty-bounced. The look on his face was CLASSIC. Assuming this was amusing, he copied, and then we decided we'd rather do the robot again. He was a lot of fun, I had to admit to myself.

Don't you think you're very self-destructive with relationships? My father use to ask me. And I guess I am .. I guess it's kind of strange that a phycologist whose devoted their life to solving other people's problems runs away from any envolvement in a love life ... No one's called me on it, yet, though. Nadie. Just my dad.

"I like your costume," I said. My voice echoed. "Ah, thanks. Kinda creepy," I admited. "But I still like it. I meant, your costume."

I got us margaritas, with the black salt on the top. He shook his head. "Oh? You don't drink?"

" .. don't drink," my voice echoed. I did a slight profile of him in the back of my head; role-player, escapist, joker, adaptable .. Not entirely obsessed with his role. Takes role very lightly. Possibly wants to scare me. Gets off on being a prankster. It IS Halloween.

"How would you like to go back to my place?" I asked after people started filing out of the club.

"I would like that," My voice replied.

"Hmmmmmmmm," I smiled.

I got out my keys from my bossom, and motioned for him to follow me. "We can take my car."

"Okay .." my voice agreed.

"You are SUCH a geek," I laughed. "Don't change," I tried to use my sexiest voice on the later.

"Geek?" my voice asked.

"Yep, like me." A real smexy roll-playing geek coming over to my place? But did I really want to pretend with him? To be whatever a romantic is for a predator? What would that be? I never read those books with more info about the species or anything. I'm not that big of a avpfandoid.

He seemed to be very uncomfortable in my car, and especially bothered by the seat belt.

"Just take it off," I suggested mroe then with just zeal.

"I'm okay," he replied, in his own voice. This was a start.

"What's your name?"

"Go'ma."

"Reeeeally? That's interesting." Apperantly he really was into role-play. "I'm Scarlet."

"Scar-let," he repeated carefully. Some serious profiling started. Did I want this nut in my house? Maybe. We could always play Predator versus Alien rough-and-tumble. I grinned at the thought. But it would be cool to finally have a friend who could stomache sitting through that game with me.

"So what leigon are you from? What clan?" I asked Mr. Spaceman.

"kiss-iss," he replied in his own voice. How adorble. I swooned.

"Awwww, that's cute."

Mr. Spaceman looked out the window. "This is really slow,"

"And you'd have me get a ticket for go'n mock five, hugh?"

"Mock you? No." Maybe he was just role-playing.

"Honestly, aren't you a trekkie?"

"No," he said truthfully. Problem one ... found. But that might change.

Together, we entered my apartment. He looked around at the murals of a castle and stars. "Cute" was all he said, before looking at all the books and CDs. "You are a scholar here," he noted. "A linguist. And a ... phycologist." His own voice, I noted. He stationed himself in front of my notebook, where a bobble-head Predator stood in hissing-position. With a "talon," he sent the head nodding, "You are a SUCH geek. Don't change." He turned, and faced me, before pointing at AVP one and two. "Show me," he comanded.

I popped them in, "SURELY you've played these before."

"No, games?"

"Yes."

I showed him his choices of players, and he picked predator. Typical. I played as the alien.

"You like those?" He asked me solemnly.

"They're really the best players," I replied, feeling irationally ashamed. "And easier to use. Not all the gadgets."

He was pretty good with the predator. He seemed miffed everytime I pointed out a better combo, or cheats. It was .. adorable. Irationality, my father's voice scuffed.

"How good of a human are you?" I noticed he spoke with the Queen's English.

"I'm decent. Not as good as an alien, though."

He took this in, and nodded. It was strange .. he still hadn't taken his costume off yet. A wicked thought came to mind. "Are you naked, under all that?" Jesus!

"Yes," he said, as if I was stupid.

I let out a loud long laugh, and had to hit pause on our game. He seemed a little ticked off and offended.

"Tell me you're wearing underwear!"

"Yes," he seemed REALLY P-OD.

"Listen .. I think .. maybe we should talk a little .. but after the game." He ended up beating me. I didn't say I let him win, as I would have normally, just to tease him. "Can't you even take off your mask to talk with me?"

"I'm okay .." He insisted.

"Alright," my eyes bugged. "So, anyway, I have to ask you something .."

"Yes?"

"... What is it your looking for, in romance? How do you feel about romance?"

He seemed really offended by this question. "Romance? That is so typical of _your _kind."

I laughed at him. "No, actually, the male species has been found to be the more romantic of the sexes of the species." I knew where I was taking this— romance is NOT a one night stand, so be prepared for dissapointment .. and such.

He shook his head. "Crazy,"

"Really? And who do you think came up with the idea of flowers, and roses, and all that? A girl? She wouldn't have asked him for all that. And you guys are the ones who talk about crap like, 'I could see her in a crowd miles away .. and be able to know her face .. I'm so in love ..'"

"That is not what I feel," he defended.

"And how _do_ you feel?"

This question puzzled him beyond explanation. But that was okay. I'm a phycologist— I can deal with that. "Sex is to make offspring, and that is the sole purpose. To find a mate worthy of that honor is the purpose of one's service to a peoples."

"Is THAT what you really think? So you've adopted the predator idealology, in other words?"

"Yes," He said, before placing a hand on my leg. It was awfully close to my stomache, though.

"And you want to have my children, then?"

"Yes," His hand traced upwards, and then to my face. I noticed little blinking lights on his wrist bands.

"Well, that's not mine. I have no intention of having your children right now. I take birth controll, and I practice safe sex so as to spread the hugs and not the stds ... Really, all I want is someone to play AVP with, and have fun."

"That's honorable. But I don't have stds." His hand pulled away from my face, and he undid two chords from his mask. Just like in the movie I had seen, I could hear the little woosh of air, and then a growl.

Holy SHIT.

a/n. I hope you all enjoed the chappy very muuch. Please comment, and any suggestions/ help would be greatly appreciated. Ciao for now ..


	2. Chapter 2

a/n. A/P/ AVP doesn't belong to me. -- .. Other wise, the story of Predator would show all the academics and linguists and cool people like Go'ma, and not just the stuuuuupid teenagers that have hormonal issues and acne-the predator way. I could give you a list, but those are MY stories. Bwahahahaha!

"If you scream, then that will cause unecessary trouble."

"Wah .. wah .." was all I could manage. And then I asked the stupidest question in the world. " ... Will you take me to the stars, if I do this?" Great. I was a war-times Galactic Whore. Buy me a plane/boat ticket, and I'm yours, soilder! But it's not as if I had a choice between more then life or messy death. Plenty of fish in the sea .. plenty. I guess now, better me then some high school girl, or some kid. Some person who hadn't read every phycology book under the sun.

The lower mandables fell down, the equivelant, I suppose, of a dropped jaw. It raised back up. "I am merely the flag, and you the mountain. I am sorry to dishonor you. It is possible that I can make this more casual, if you would like."

I grasped his words, finally, and nodded, crying already.

I had to wonder, looking at my stars and castle, was this really what I had planned and dreamt of? Was this a fantasy of sorts? I was going to have this flag's child, possibly left on earth to care for the half-breed and after math on my own. It would be disfigured, more then likely, and good luck dealing with the earthquake. I cried and cried, thinking about the thing that would be coming out of my body— would it kill me? Would it love me? Would I be able to love it? What would it look like? Woudl it go to school like any other child? Would it be happy? Would it be loved? Love, love, love .. those words spun around in my head. And then, hate. Hate, hate, hate. Why, why, why? Was I deemed a good specimen of my kind? Was it because I was the average human heigth and of good health? Was it because I brought him home? Because he saw how I was sexually ready unlike most of the others that came to bars for all the usual reasons? Why? Love. Hate. Why?

And his ideas of making the experience more casual were haunting, and disturbing. "I love you," he'd say at random intervals. Or "You're so beautiful .."

After it was done, he made to stand up, but I held him down. Seeming to remember something from training, he laid back down and held me to him. "Beautiful ... that's my favorite word, really." I couldn't understand why he would tell me this. "I suppose I'm an admirerer of your race. Of it's culture. It's deffinatley not perfect, or that .. well off .. but it's ... respectable. Like any other. And I'm one for cultures." I suppose Predators can talk after a rompround.

"Uh .." Was all I could say.

Further training led him to brush away my hair from my face and neck, and place it ontop the pillow. "Sleep .." He lulled. I tried, but I couldn't. I just started to cry again.

"Did you plan this?" I asked finally.

"Yes," He reminded.

"Do you get off on this? Does it make you feel powerful?"

"No .. I pity you." Nothing good ever happened to a flagged mountain. Never.

"Did you pick me? Before now?"

"Yes .."

I crawled up into a ball, rolling away from him.

"It'll be a boy. You may name it," He said, as if he were talking about a fucking cat.

I wailed.

"I hope that I can raise the child .. to be a scholar. More then a warrior. To respect cultures. But if I cannot, then teach him your ways. Make sure .. make sure he's not just ... a warrior."

I pulled the covers up over my head, like this could stop all the instructions. He was talking as if I were house-sitting and taking care of his cat now.

"As you wish," he said, before pulling out of bed. He went into the bathroom, and did something we all do, I suppose, if we breathe and eat at all.

I heard Frank Sinatra playing on my computer, and with it purs and clicks as he re suited, possibly singing along in his own language. I do that with Japanese, sometimes. Then, I heard him plop down onto the automan that use to be my father's. Did he recline it? I thought about him reclining in my father's chair, and fell alseep. When I woke up, Frank was off, but the purring noises and clicking were continuing. I laid where I was, thinking it would go away. But it didn't. Not wanting to wait forever for him to leave, I poured myself some Lucky Charms and orange juice, before sitting down at my computer. I pretended he wasn't there. I checked my mail, my answering machine, and finally my cell phone. No messages. But, however, there was a post-it with child-like handwriting dictating the main message of each call and note missed. The reminder stabbed, and I finally made my way back from normal life, of course after a shower and a full scrub to rival the one in Taking Lives, I met the thing sitting in my father's automan with a frown.

A usb port hooked my ipod and Predator together. He unhooked the ipod, and looked up at me. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No," I sat down on the couch.

"Thanks," he sat the ipod back down onto the coffe table, before turning the chair around to face me. "Good morning,"

"You don't have to be so normal," I informed him. "So .. please, stop. It's unnerving. I know it's cool to try on different cultures, but this isn't normal. People don't really say good morning, unless their being sarcastic, for a second thing."

"What is your real name?" He asked out-of-the-blue, but as though he had been thinking about this for a long time.

"Pegasus," I answered. "Peg,"

"The wild horse sprung from Medusa's head .. interesting name .." He sprouted off, almost to prove he knew what my name meant.

"Yep,"

"Why did your parents choose that name, do you think?" He questioned, seeming to find this whole thing curious.

"Because my mother was beautiful, but social pathic. My father named me. Only, he didn't tell her that."

His head tilted, like a birds. "Beautiful."

"And yours? What does yours mean?"

"Go'ma means curious. My mother came from a scholar, and married a warrior. I suppose she always wanted me to become a scholar, and here I am ..."

Our whole concept seemed nasty, suddenly, and not just disturbing and painful. "How long are you going to be here? What are your orders?"

"Through your pregnancy, and then the council will have 'to see', as humans say. Most likely I will be allowed to visit as an uncle, afterwards."

"And you know we won't have to try a second time?"

"You're already acting pretty pregnant. Use your own tests, if you feel more comfortable with that .."

But I stayed where I was. I didn't want to re-confer what was inside me. He rose, and went into the ktichen, looking around for something to eat. He came back, holding Lucky Charms. "You can't eat these kinds of things," and then he pulled out the chocolat from the pantry. "This is really bad for animals,"

"Well, what is it good for?"

"Plant mulch," he answered, "If unsweetened."

"And I suppose you're a pediatrican and doctor as well as a linguist and anthropologist? Aaaand A botanist?"

"Only very curious .. unsatiably" Unsatiably. Was that even a word? It means not to satisfaction, right?

"So .. you're staying here, in this place, until I have the .. baby?"

"Yes,"

"Have any advice for keeping an alien in my house? I mean, it's not in Southern Living, with all the recipes and decorations .." He sat back down and into the chair. His helmet was off, and I noticed for the first time how many marks were on his face. Killer .. ritualistic .. primitive ..

"Don't bring people over. I CAN appear invisible, but very weakly so. And just know .. some people don't like the idea of crossbreeds. Of any kind .."

"Are we indangering this child just by making it exist?"

"Possibly. But _I_ will take care of that. You, will take care of going on about your own buisness, and pretending I'm not here for the rest of your world; Kate, Jana, Miachel. I ask a lot." His head dropped towards the floor, eyes still looking at me.

"I have clients .. at five .. so .. I've got to get ready ... We can talk later."

"Peg-uh-sus?" He called out, before I entered my nolonger-safe-haven.

"Yes?"

"The mission .. part of the mission is to gain your trust .. and your love. For the child's benefit, for the proper bonding and chemical reactions .. I think it's called imprinting?"

I nodded.

"But there are other ways .. like bonding with the father. I suppose the real wish is that the child feels less resentment towards both of it's heritages .."

Nodding, again, my shoulders fell down in defeat— he was just like my grandfather, always carrying on lectures too long to go on about daily life.

"So that.. to gain that trust, and deserve it, I'll tell you the appropriate truth."

"Alright," I replied, before turning to face the door.

"I'm a phycologist, Peg-uhsus. I am specialized in human phycology .. and others. I treat victims of the flag .. You can't imagine what it's like .. what I'm feeling. So, please, know this isn't something .. I take pride in."

"I'm going to change clothes," I informed him, before closing the door behind me. A pointless thing to do, for someone who had already seen me naked.

a/n. Yeah ..

Kae-she Katsumi— don't you mean one and one? Or am I missing a part of Predator, erm, sciences ..? But yosh, I like this pair as well. Tank-u for ur review!

Mystic Blade- sighs there really is something about Preds, aren't there? More like .. the nerdy Preds, like Go'ma. Tehee ..

Drappa Wolf— I'm glad you like my story.

Thanks guys, for your reviews! In the next chappy, you learn something even neater .. maybe. Ciao.


	3. Chapter 3

A/n A, P, or AVP does not belong to me. If they did, they'd be a whole lot geekier.

He followed me in the car, invisible. He followed me into my office, standing behind the shoji-screen that seperated part of the room for "gifts" that divorced parents or seperated parents leave behind for their kids when they have VPOS keeping them apart, or big bills for parental rights, most of which never get picked up by the other parent or child.

Natalie pressed the button that signals when someone's here about fifteen times, which I was able to smile at, before putting on a wide smile and becoming Miss Cool to Play With. I opened the door, and invited her in. Her mom had a baby in her arms, which was another reminder of the thing inside me .. Then I scorned the idea that this lady could have all the kids she wanted so long as they were popping out of her insane body and not someone else's.

"Good evening, Miss Natalie. Where do you want to start today? We could play dina-sours again."

She pointed at the doll house. "I want to start_ there_." She sat down in front of the biggest room, and started to compile the dolls in her hands. She handed me the mother. The family was taking a vacation to the beach, and everyone was getting ready for the beach. The baby was being a little baby, and wouldn't put its sunscreen on. The bigger sister just went with the father to the car and seated inside next to the dog. The baby got spanked by the mother. The father kept pleading with both the baby and the mother, trying to be a diplomat of sorts. This was highly disturbing. That the baby was merely acting like a baby and got smacked at by a screaming, raving lunatic. Natalie seemed to comprehend my troubles understanding the mother, and explained for me, "The baby was bad .. so she had to spank it .. it wouldn't put on the sunscreen."

We sat at the dina-sours, and I had time enough to ask her questions. "What do you think about being an big sister, now?"

"... I don't ever want to have a baby."

"No? Why not?"

"Because ... they're bad."

Alright .. this was fucked up. I talked with the mother, and told her absolutely nothing about the situation, adding finally that I'd be interested in talking with the father. They left, and I checked in on Go'ma.

"Are you okay, in there? I can get you a chair .."

"Why do you keep all this back here?" Oh, right .. Mr. Curious.

"They're presents that can't be recieved .. because of court and things like that .."

"But then, why not throw them out?"

"Because they're not mine,"

"Why don't you give them away?"

"Because .. that would be unsettling to my patient. And anyway, the parents would probably sue me if they found out I had given these presents to Goodwill instead of their kids."

"Iss-iss-ss .." he responded, before taking me up on that chair. "That girl .. the one just now .. she suffers from a mother who does drugs, doesn't she?"

"I'm not allowed to tell you .." I was suprised at how quick he was to deduce things like that. For an alien, he didn't make that bad of a phycologist.

"I understand," We waited until another happy-hand started to push the buzzer incesantly.

a/n. Thanks for the reviews! They keep me smiling, laughing, and thinking I'm not the only insane person who thinks too much about A/P/AVP. Lol.

Mystic Blade- Yeah .. I don't know if she really takes her moods off on Go'ma or not, but I know he must have taken it well, since he's inside my head and all. Weird food munchies for Peg; tomatoes, salmon, and things Go'ma slapped her hand away from, like chocolate, some of which you will find his views on in later chappys. I don't think Go'ma is always a smart pred, though. Like, his views on love, for example. They don't indicate his intelligence at all, or how deeply he thinks about things. But maaaaybe that'lll change. Or he might turn into a social climber and dump Peggy for some hot pred chick! Which do you guess?

Kae-Shi-Katsumi- Yes, I get the 1+1 concept, but not the 2+2 concept. Should they have a .. oh, nevermind. --¡ Yes, they are in a relationship, or have been, I guess, now. But glad you like the chappy!

Irish- Are you Irish? j/k. Hm .. my name should be WHACKY MIXED SO MUCH DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK SHE IS SO DON'T ASK IF SHE'S ASIAN. Lol. I likes the sn, though. Tehee .. and Peg reminds me of myself. I hope you find yourself to your liking, so you won't root for the death of Peg or anything, though that's highly possible .. and I shall leave you with this thought; All men are natural orphans. All men .. And predators .. And half bloods, are natural orphans. I don't know if this is origonal or not, so please no one ask me! **hides**

Thanks guys 4 your reviews! I enjoy reading them all. Here's a predator smiley face:

µ® o ®µ Hope you can interpret this dorgy symbol .. Anyways, HAGS!


	4. Chapter 4

a/n I don't own avp,a/p .. if I did, then I wouldn't be posting my story here. Der. Lol. And maybe I'd have some more money .. But then maybe I'd be in jail, or in a mental institution as well .. a really expensive one, at that. Garggg gargg ggg!

I made all my contacts on my lunch break. Jana wanted to know what happened with the Pred geek.To her, we seemed to be "A match made in heaven." More like sciences. She also wanted to meet up for lunch. Apperantly, Go'ma heard this, and nodded his head. "You should go." I declined anyway, as he would probably have to follow me and Jana around at the cafe anyway, a feat I wasn't too sure would be very easy for him to pull off. Instead, I bought a salad that Go'ma approved of, and ate with him in the Kid Room.

"You like children?" He asked me as I took a big bite of tomatoe.

"Eh .. yes, actually."

"But you've never kept a mate .. In fact, you've told your friends you were going to one-night and raise a child yourself .." Yeah, well, pal, I didn't mean a fucking alien or possible crack head. And that was a year ago .. how long had he been monitoring me?

"You want me to explain my love life?"

"No," he passed the subject by with a hand, and then looked boredly at a timer. "Yes .. Since I had to explain mine." It seemed fair.

"Okay," I sighed, and dropped my fork into its black plastic bowl. ".. Um .. well, I always mess things up with guys by being too sexual in about the first hour and a half, because I'm always secretly trying to drive them away in case I don't like them .. It's a habit."

"Is there anyone you haven't driven away?"

"Loads. Butt loads. And a lot of one-nighters. Who'd respect me after I get too sexual too soon? I often can't stand the people I have relationships with, though—not enough to get married, or have a devoted relationship with .."

There was a long silence, and I realized what he was doing. "You're scrapping, aren't you?"

"Scrapping?" He questioned innocently.

"That's where you analyze me .. and jesus, I'm being paranoid .. Anyway, that's okay, if you scrape me. I scrape people all the time."

"Scrape minds for .." he realized. "Oh, yes .." He pointed at the timer. "You time your meetings in front of the children?"

"Yes. I have them set it, though, and I have different types— that makes the idea more fun for them. They set the clock, and then it's like it's part of their reality. Not just me going, 'You've got to go because I said you do .. and really because I need more money ..' instead of 'I need to see another patient right now, sorry, honey, see you later, call me.'" He nodded.

"That seems like a good idea. I remember many 'Because I said so's."

"Not me. I never got that from my dad .."

"Hmmm .. you were your dad's girl, then."

"I suppose. He was the apple in my eye." I hit my salad again, after realizing the time before my next patient.

Later on, at home, he took off his mask and pointed at the couch, "This is where I can stay at night?"

"You can go where ever you like," I told him, with all the insincerity of a Southern Hostess. He must have known better, since he stayed out of my comfy bed and my shower. He'd relax on my couch, sometimes disposing of different pieces of clothing for something else and possibly more comfortable. Apperantly, he had gotten more of his things when I had fallen asleep after our first meeting. He seemed to like watching the Spanish Channels and cooking shows, which was odd, but never objected to a news break. Sometimes he'd say things like, "They're lying," to me, but he never elaborated on the subject, and I never asked for more details, assuming I couldn't be sure to what extent he called them liars and if he wanted to tell me the truth. He did seem to know an awful lot about what goes on in my life and my little world, for an alien. But then again, he had planned everything .. even knew my friends' names and every conversation I had exchanged with them for at least up to a year ... That explained, partialy, why we got along so well. Though he was quiet at times. All this I obtained at least in a week.

One day he sat on the couch, toying with something in his hands that looked an awful lot like a pompilot. "What's that?" I asked. He seemed to have been emoting on it. "It ... It's much like a book .. on how to take care of the child .."

"For me?" I asked. What was his problem in giving it to me? Just forking it over?

He looked up at me, then, and away from the device. "iss-iss-sssssss-sakuuuuu-isssss .."

"I can't understand you," I wanted him to get to the point.

"Illogical. That's what I just said .. I'm being illogical. I'm to give this to you, and you're suppose to follow it perfectly, and then you'll know everything about Yaujutta food and care .. just everything .. Stuff even I didn't know till .. I was the flag .."

"So why do you seem grudging to give it to me?" Yes. How do you FEEL? I was being a typical scraper.

"Iss-iss-ssssss-sakuuuuuuu-issssss ..." He repeated, then translated. "Illogicaly, I feel obsolete, I suppose .." But he handed it to me. For a long time, he had been showing me what to eat and even talked about where I would change for the birth and how I'd be affected and what I would feel. He had been like a doctor, not the typical father running with his head cutt off, asking the doctor annoying questions right after hearing the answers. I put the device into my hands, and looked at the writing.

"I had to translate it for you .. but if you see a problem, ... then don't hesitate to ask me about it."

I had to smile. "Thank you." But I didn't want to say, "You've been a great help," because he had been a great help getting me pregnant in the first place.

"You have nothing to thank me for .. I'm just a pawn, no whims of my own ..." He seemed to shrink into himself. I put a hand on his shoulder, and comofted him exactly like I knew he wanted me to.

"Look, you couldn't be obsolete if you tried. I'm going to need someone to point at the text and go 'Really! That's so cool' with or 'Really! That's so unfair!' It's not as if I have anyone else to talk with .. I mean, my friend's haven't ever been pregnant before. I suppose I'll have to make new friends .. It's something you do, when you have children."

Go'ma nodded. "But .. Pegasus .." He apperantly liked saying foreign names, as well as things like "Good morning" and "Good night, sweet dreams."

"Yeah?" It was pretty late. I had only been up to go the bathroom, if I remember right.

"I'd like to teach you to speak like a Yaujutta .. so you can always comunicate with .. I don't know, just so you can speak it, I guess. It might come in handy."

Maybe in the stars, my heart hoped.

"That'd be fine. I wanted to drop Italian anyway. I already know Romanian, and I don't want to go to Rome .." He probably didn't see the logic behind this, but nodded anyway.

And thus began my Yaujutta training. Drills on hand writing, technology, decor, clothes— everything— it was as if I were a part-time college student. I must have forgotten at least five languages just learning year one basic Yaujutta. Maybe even some english to get to year three, when I could finally understand all the writing from Go'ma's News Reel inside his helmet. By that time, though, my stomache began to widen up, and I had already had to say goodbye to the clothes I loved so dearly, since The Book on Space Babies, as I liked to refer to it, said that it was unlikely I would ever work off the size gained (ie. I'm always going to have baby-fat litterally, if vaugely). Go'ma seemed very anxious about everything, and towards the end began to act like a chicken with its head cut off.

I went to Earth Baby classes, where I learned how to give a plastic doll CPR and such. When I'd go home, Go'ma would make sure I had already read how to take care of the cross-breed, and lectured me about how according to our genetics, the child would be more like a Yaujutta resparatory-wise. I made friends in Earth Baby Classes, but I knew, deep down, they'd be only temporary. Go'ma never commented on this, when I'd be out having dinner with a new friend, insisting I didn't want any "hook ups" with their brother/friend/whatever male or female, because I was going to take care of this kid on my own, hard core, college, ap classes, everything. Mike offered to help me with the kid, and I hadn't been sure of what he meant by that, but I declined. I didn't want annny help from Mike. If the kid so much as floated in the air, he'd shoot it. Especially if it was outside his reality.

Go'ma and I played a lot of AVP. He stopped me from using cheats and "sepcials" and got me playing the predator more. He'd point at a weapon, and tell me all the attacks it could do, better then a manual. "Why is this game so accurate?" I asked him once. "Why do we know about you?"

He laughed, his way. Kiss-a-naaaa-isssss-a-naaaaa, or grag-grag-gra! "Oh .. well, this is something most don't know about— not even your vice president."

What? So the Vice President usually knows anything?

"But .. we programmed it and everything, to make US a part of some people's reality. It use to be, that no one could see our ships, if we landed right in their living room. They couldn't see us, invisible or not. They couldn't hear us, or see us. We didn't EXIST. So .. we gave the game to some geek, who gave it to some geek .. and apperantly, we're a reality to some degree now. If a little."

It made sense. The boat that Latin America Native American's couldn't see, until they stood on the deck and touched the boat .. then all of a sudden they could see it, and it was a reality. Culture shock.

"Now we really need invisibility. You just can't know who's seen the movies or not. Like you .. If I saw you out on the streets, I wouldn't guess that you would be into the whole gorey movie and such .. Why WERE you into it all?"

I shrugged. "You got me."

"Graggggggg! You are SUCH a dork, don't change."

I had shuddered.

A/n I really didn't think about the length of the last one .. --¡ But I hope I made it up to you guys here! Lol. Thanks for your reviews, guys!

ggg! See ya reviews! Bye!


	5. Chapter 5

A/n. IF I OWNED AVP, A, OR P, I'D BLOODY NOT BE POSTING STORIES HERE! .. or would I: Ggg

Pregnancy was a drag. I needed help going to the bathroom, to lift myself out of a chair, and didn't find the whole gag as funny as when Lucille Ball had done it. Not only that, but I got a fetish for eating tomatoes and pickles, especially dhill and baby tomatoes(Now I can't stand them— I wore out my tastebuds, I guess). Also, I became cantankerous. Go'ma dealt with this patiently, though sometimes saying things I couldn't translate but which probably went something like, "Stop being such a god'amn be-yotch. You stupid moron .."

Eight months into my pregnancy, Go'ma asked me about my contacts lenses. "You need GLASSES?"

"Yes. Almost everyone does."

He_ exploded_ into a load of Yaujutta that I couldn't follow, too fast and cut. I catched YOU a lot, though, and BABY. I think I picked up the word for GLASSES.

"Is this a problem?"

"YES!" He calmed down, then. "I .. you seemed so perfect .. I can't believe I didn't even think about this .. Glasses .. a Yaujutta wearing glasses .. this hasn't happened in _centuries_. Everyone will call him four-eyes .."

"Centuries?"

"Yes. Crossbreeding has happened before, but I've told you that. Culturally, though, now, to have glasses .. it would be seen as weaknes .."

"Can't he just have surgery when he gets older?" I asked, calling the baby HE. I hadn't come up with a name yet. There were plenty of name banks in the Book about Space Babies, but Go'ma hadn't translated most of them. They were usually themes of power, like Spear, and ideas like Winter, Fall, Spring, Summer, Wind, Water— respectable, in Yaujutta terms. Nothing like Rabbit, or Bunny, or better yet—beauty. Nothing about beauty.

"No, he cannot .." Go'ma replied, exasperated. "I can't believe I didn't think about this!"

"He'll be perfect, don't worry .." I crawled up next to Go'ma on the couch to reassure him more then myself.

"What kind of thing to say .." Go'ma huffed, before relaxing into a hug. He had taken to holding me and playing with my hair. I wanted to rassure him even further that the baby would be fine, so I took his hand that day.

I put it onto my stomache. "Feel," I comanded. I could feel the kicking, and little bits of it moving in my stomache. He obeyed, and put his hand on my stomache flat-faced, resigned. His hart went dun-dun-dun-dun like a jazzplayer behind me.

"Isssss .. kussss .. ragh, ragh, kusss .." He said in response; you'll be beautiful, and strong in more ways, but weak still ..

"Kra-ah-sss- kra .." It was a questionable thing for me to say, since I wasn't sure what I was saying. Nothing perfect is perfect ...

He corrected me, of course, on how to say what I was trying to say. Then objected. Nothing is perfect, so perfect is nothing I'm worried about.

I had come to see how irational both of our specie's cultures were. On one hand, weakness in his culture was looking funny or needing something like glasses. On the other hand, being healthly skinned, or un-stick-like was seen as ugly in my culture. In his culture, being skinny was seen as pathetic. In both of our cultures, masculinity and femininity to a great extent were still batteling for dominance. Just watch out for me, was a babie's culture. And love.

Love .. for the Yaujutta, the purpose of mating is to have children. It's also a way to be validated. You hunt, and your trophys size and number, your statistics, your scores, your stories, all give you a name in society. If you have the right number of heads in your closet, or rather the _right_ heads, the fact that you don't come from a long line of top-knotch hunters can even be ignored. And your trophies bring you to rock-star credentials with the ladies, all of whom would kill, and do kill, to be "worthy" to have a child under those thropies' names, if not just gloat about it to those less fortunate. Sex, just like in human culture, is really "something" to most people, besides those who obviously _don't_ think that way for one reason or another.

There are so many branches of Yajutta clans, just like tribes in America and "races." For example, Go'ma comes from the Iss-u-ma (thought it would be funny if he really did come from the kiss-iss clan). The Iss-u-mas praise a build of both body and mind, much like the Ancient Greeks did. The council is a group of a head from each clan that is at peace within the Yajutta's terms of agreement, much like the UN. These relations define the clans greatly on an inttergalactic level. Also, the council represents the Yaujuttas pretty much everywhere; to the greys (flying saucers), the rods (their ships look like really old kites), the ess-ocks (round balls, sometimes appear to be simply light). They fight rebels and rouges, and the "bad guys" that affect the Yaujutta, and sometimes even Earth, if it affects their breeding stock for their rituals too much. They fought the plauge at it's worst, for instance, and now aids.

Love. It is difficult to say wether or not I loved Go'ma when I was pregnant. I felt like I needed him, and very connected to him through the baby. But at times, we just couldn't talk to eachother. He'd sit in the recliner, staring at the TV, emoting, at these times, and everything was "fine, fine" or "nothing, nothing" s. I, at these times, and on ther other hand, would lie down with him on the couch, with his hands on my stomache, feeling the baby act out Saturday Night Fever to get closer with its father. "Beautiful," Go'ma often purred.

I was use to his presence, if anything, and I always looked forward to hearing the chirping-singing in the morning. I can't speak for him. I can't really imagine anything he'd look forward to with me, except Emeril and Mexico's Newsreel. Maybe he liked my music, and my books. But other then that, we didn't have much in common, besides a baby and phycology, and even then we were way out of each other's league. But I was fond of him, towards the end. I can rightly say that.

My dad said, that one day a Bellaphron would come, and maybe he would try to then be with me without wisdom. Make decisions without wisdom. I hoped Go'ma wouldn't be my Bellaphron, for both me and my baby.

a/n. Hope you liked the chappy. I've got 11 reviewers! Awesome! I just came back from a vacation along the bible belt, which was very nice. And I didn't have internet but once. So here is the long awaited chapter. GGG

Neo-Queen-Solaris-Cosmos: You like? I'm glad. Thanks for your review!

The Greatest Boba Fett Fan: It is kind of strange. I read a few of the Yautja/ human pairings, and thought, "Do predators DANCE? DO they?" Then this idea of a halloween dance where the predator is dancing and fits right in comes to mind, and it just went on from there, with lots of late-at-night helpings. Lol. Thanks for your review!

IMPORTANT: It hase come to my attention that you spell Yaujutta as Yautja. This shall be corrected withn a week. Very sorry for the mistake. Sure wasn't in spell checker, lol.

Hope everyone has a fun summer. GGG it up, dudes!


	6. Chapter 6

a/n Mine: Everything about Pegasus— her friends, her character, her adventure. The ideeeea of Go'ma, though not his race, is mine

Wish list: AVP, A, P, ect.

"What would you name the baby?" I asked Go'ma once, while we were sitting together.

"Issssssss ..." He said, the equivalent of a long hmm. "... Perhaps Ryu. It's Japanese for dragon .. it would be easy to say, in english and in Yaujuttan .. but in Yaujuttan, it would sound more like Raah-yah .."

"Explostion."

"So he'd have to tell people, Ryu, dragon .."

I grinned wickedly. "OR he wouldn't .."

He laughed. "No, no. What are you thinking?"

I frowned. "I'm thinking .. Vertumnus. It's my favotire story .. have you heard of it?"

He shook his head.

"Well, once there was this girl, named Pomona, who really loved gardens. She took care of them like they were her loves, and she didn't think of marriage because of all this. Vertumnus disguised himself as an old woman, and helped her tend her gardens. He fell in love with her, and even more so after she was nice to him when he looked like an old lady. He overkissed her, being dumb and hormonal, and explained that he loved her a lot and she really needed a helper to multiply how wonderful her garden was. He changed back into his own form, I guess, and no more's said of them. I guess that mean's they're happy .."

A long silence, and lot of scrapping took place. "You wish for your son to be like Bertumnus, when he chooses a mate, and not ..."

"No, that's not it. I've always liked that story."

"It is a beautiful story. How one can be so caught up with making their life beautiful, that they don't realize how much a family could enrich their lives .." His hand left my stomache, and supported me on the couch around my waist. No more was said about predelictions. I was glad. I placed my head under his chin, and sat comfortable, until I_ absolutely_ had to go the bathroom. As always, he helped me up and helped me lie back down, hoping over the back of the couch to regain his place with his head ontop my chin and an arm around my waist.

Vertumnus decided it was due time to come out in July, and was born on Independence Day. He looked like any other baby might, except for his mouth and his pitch black complexion. It seems unatural, many said, not seeing into his mouth, or he would have been "OHAGH!" instead. Also, he was unatturally big and healthy. All of the Earth Baby Classes friends that hadn't given birth yet held him dearly, and all of my other "normal" friends held him, smiling and saying, "Oh, he's so _beautiful_ .." Even his fingernails were black. This, a doctor told me, was just a very strange mutation. He wanted to do some research, but left me alone after hearing, "I don't intend, nor do I wish, to see the father again. I'm raising this kid on my own."

Poor, poor, POOR Go'ma had to wait three days before he could safely hold Vertumnus, though he had stood by my side, holding a hand whenever he could, or stroking him while he was in my arms. I felt the post-birthing depression harder then I anticipated, but healthily so. I was over it in enough time to repeatedly ask Go'ma what was going to happen next, what next, after that?

I couldn't see him, unless I saw a glare off his amor once and awhile, but he did place his hand on my face while at the hospital, feeling my face. I could hear the rustling as he felt the back of Vert's head. He didn't say anything, and remained quiet. The only thing he said to Vert, in the first days, to my recollection, was "You are so human .." I'm not sure wethere this was good or bad, but I reminded him that Vert was a cross breed, after all. "Uh .." was his sharp reply.

What now? What now? What afterwards? I kept pestering Go'ma in this way.

"That's for the council to decide .." He had become very gruff, after Verto was born. Very distant. And before the "meeting," Emeril mixed in with the baby's cries. Verto liked being held by Go'ma more then me, or maybe he was just trying to make the right "connections" before his dad went off to the meeting with the council. As if to prep his dad with a pre-made opening and closing. "This little being loves me very much .. Verto is very calm, when I hold him, and is a very cute little bugger, you see .."

Bravely, I asked him, "You love me, don't you?"

He growled at me, like I had just taunted him. "What kind of thing to say!"

"_Do_ you?"

... "It's not as if I_ can't_ .." It was as if I had called him a monster.

I wanted to throw a knife at him, or a hair dryer. Maybe the large stack of Blessing cards on my knight stand. But I waited, reminding myself of all the cultural barriers we were treading on. It was hard, and I did good for a pregnant lady. "Hey! **Do **you?"

"I do," he said finally, before turning away with Verto. He never asked me what I thought of him, though. Perhaps, and this is a long shot at me guessing his feelings, he was too afraid of the answer. And suddenly, I knew what the wife from **_Fiddler on the Roof_** had felt, when her husband asked her if she loved him. If this isn't love, all I've done for you .. what is? If all we've been through with eachother hasn't caused love, what will? She must have felt an awful lot like Go'ma.

Go'ma recieved orders to take Verto and me with him to Port Atley, a street with lots of homeless people and cops. "It's not a part of their reality," he kept reminding me. "So don't make it one."

The ship came, only I had no one to wave a hankerchief at. Only homeless people and different assortments of unhealthy people were living about, and a few cops looked up. And that was it. Go'ma walked on ahead and onto this ship with his superiors and a friend, Chitlagh, leaving Verto and me with a doctor, who made little conversation and didn't assume I knew a word of Yaujuttan. I couldn't wait to surprise him, in fact.

Once inside, you couldn't feel the affects of Mock sixteen or whatever it was, but I had an inkling we wouldn't wait around for a car to drive into the ship or something like that before pulling into more familiar territory. The doctor lead me to his inspecton room, and stuck a few needles into him. No setative, that I could see, and Verto balled like the baby he was. "What are you doing?" I demanded in english, and then reworded in Yaujuttan.

The doctor's head tilted to one side, "You speak Yaujuttan .. that is good." He held up a metalic stick. "I am giving him shots, so he will grow stronger. And probing him, now, for disfunctionality." He made it to the eyes, and made a delighted chirp. "Ahhh .. glasses. My great-grandfather needed glasses ... back then it was not rare.." Seeing my glance, he looked surprised. I remembered what Go'ma had told me about looking into their eyes, and looked away. "... If he proves himself a better man with glasses, that will be ..amusing." At the end of his tests, Verto was handed promptly to me. "Healthy, for a halfling .. but for his eyes. Handsomer, luckily for him." What did the other half-breeds have? I wondered. A mandable sticking out of their cheek? Olive green and black-spotted skin? A slitted nose? I held Verto closer— I wouldn't have cared .. okay, maybe a little .. I didn't let myself wander there, but followed someone to The Human Room.

The Human Room wasn't what I was expecting. The furniture was all grand chocolate brown wood, and not chrome. Starry Starry Night and Sunflowers post cards layed on a knight stand, which held a lamp decked out in leapord print, instead of skulls or odd art-deco sculptures and a long light bulb hanging from the ceiling. A crib was in the corner, and all the things I had already packed for Jr. I had to wonder how good of a mommy they thought I was, exactly. The room was awfully clishe, in all of its components— even the overly mediacized "art." I wondered who had decorated it all ... Would I move up, according to my son's status? Maybe I'd get to choose my own bed sheets, after he killed his first couple Aliens. Verto didn't like the Human Room either. He was restless, wanting up, down, milk, no milk, dad, DAD, DAD!

DAD came a long time after boarding. I had thought I wouldn't be able to sleep, with all the trouble Verto was giving me, ontop of my anxiety about what would happen to us once the meeting was over. But somewhere between coming to the Human Room and leaving the Human Room, Go'ma slid into bed next to me. "What'd they say?" I asked sleepily. I couldn't hear what he said, though, and fell back asleep. When I was awake enough to hear him, my heart pounded like the first time Go'ma took off his mask infront of me.

"We will stay here, and together." The next thing he did, after telling me this, was help lift me up, and took me to the window, which had been closed by white plastic blinds. "This room's pretty tacky .." he commented, before opening up the blinds. There were stars— millions of them, off in the distance. They were brighter, with lack of city lights and such. I saw a shooting star, but I couldn't think enough to make a wish. He had to remind me. I wish, I thought aloud, that Vertumnus will be happy.

Go'ma brought verto to look at the stars too, even though he protested with a tight brow and wails. "You'll miss them, one day," Go'ma told him, before placing him back down into his crib. Verto had been to the stars, and the castle, yet remained unphased. So what? He seemed to say, with all the attitude of a thirteen year old boy who's gone to Disney Land once every year since he could walk. Mean while, I was thunderstruck..

A hand went up over my shoulder, and then fingered my neck. "I suppose you've got your wish, about coming to the stars. It's not that big of a wish. The one you made, a second ago— that's a big wish." It sounded like he was reading Dr. Zeus.

"A new council member is being decided .."

I turned to look at him. He didn't mean that he was a part of the deciding, did he? Could he be one?

"One for the cross breeds. And that will change a lot of things .."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like how people will see us."

"Oh .." I felt tired, suddenly. "Will he go back to earth?"

"No. There are enough on earth, and the other mother doesn't want to come here, I've heard, so .. we're the dependent, father, Yaujutta .. male."

"Dependent because it's not like the first, right?"

He nodded.

"And you're the Yaujutta, we're raising him here, and he's a boy."

A nod again.

"Oh .. okay."

"You're still tired," he noted, before helping me back into bed. "I smell like you, now."

"I'm sorry," I apologized, before pulling the covers up over my chin.

He laughed, and then sat down in a chair by the crib. "Good night. Sweet dreams, Peg-uh-sus." Verto let out a grumpy SHUT UP ALREADY!

We obeyed, and the stars kept passing by,

A/n. The Greatest Boba Fett Fan- All of my family is weak. I don't know anyone who doesn't really need glasses, down where I'm from. Thanks for the compliment. Tehee. **gets a big head** Woohoo!

Mystic Blade- Yeah .. it makes me cry, it's so beautiful.

Lulillo- thank you so much for your compliment!

Thank you all for your reviews. Next are tribulatiulations a plenty!


	7. Chapter 7

Goma's Note: Isn't it a SHAME Tulusu doesn't own P/A/ AVP? GGG. Some sick twisted stuff would happen then!

My life at the castle became scheduled. I'd go to sleep, Go'ma the radiator next to me, making weird "keh, keh," noises while he slept. I'd wake up and change, feed, or hold Verto whenever he cried, and consoled him in spanish. Go'ma would leave the Human Room everyday at seven thirty for his work as a phycologist, working with hunters, the mentally ill (you mean they aren't all "insane?"), the flags, and preds going through mid-life autobiographical break-throughs. I'd wake up sometime later, take a shower, give Verto a bath, and take him to the park with me. The park was really a museum, full of tropical-like plants. I always wondered if even these were trohpies of a sort, stakes pointing out which conquered planets each had been taken from. We were all aliens, on the castle. Orphans. But then again, I guess all men, be they human or only humanoid, are natural orphans .. Too much philosophy for me .. Anyway, I always wondered what their history was. Did they like it on the castle? Did they miss others of their species?

Two of the other "experiment" parents would bring their children to the park as well, Sango Ottowa's father Jhon, and Beatrice Arrow's mother Anna. A few times I would see the Yaujuttan mothers stroll or walk their children in the park, but it was as if they couldn't see me, or my child. Nor any humans, for that matter. If I was sitting on a bench, a Yaujuttan mother or nanny would stand to the side, playing at simply admiring the view, even if their child clearly needed changing or a drink. I'd speak to Verto as if he were my imaginary friend, or my only consolement, speaking in spanish so no one could understand me. Jhon and Anna would talk to me, though at first we were all hellos and waves. Much like tropical trophy plants, even though we came from different places and walks of life (different planets— Jhon worked at Subway, Ana was a secretary), we had the edgy kinship with the others, knowing that we were all aliens on that ship.

"What will I be doing here?" I had asked Go'ma, after my first night on the castle.

"You'll be a mother," He had said, before feeling my stomache and putting a mandable onto my neck, "And you'll make sure the children think like healthy people, human wise. I'll take care of functionality." A mandable slid up to my ear.

"When will I meet these other families?"

"Ah, for dinner, tomorrow .." We had breakfast together, and when I had only been able to see a chrome canister, I asked him what it was. "What do you think?" He asked me, clearly amused by the worried look on my face. I had grinned, "It's not human," he grunted, before putting it in my hands. "Just eat it. It's okay tasting, and it's healthy .. It's organic, too, so no meat .. We don't really eat meat."

"That explains the hyding."

He laughed, "That's only if you had a gun." Seeing my shock, he stuck his cheek out for a kiss. "Kiss me, oh smelly carnivore."

It's strange, how you can look at a word, and assume you know everything about it. Like Predator. What at first seems just inatley evil, turns out to be, just like everything else in life, with its cons and pros. Though you can't tell which are which at first, the closer you observe, and the longer in some instances, the more you see. When I met the "other families," things were much like this. At first the Yaujuttan parents seemed far off, and distant from their children, but then I realized they were just acting that way around eachother. When alone, the females acted gossipy and more social. The males took care of buisness, but sometimes when I'd pass the saloon, I could see males chumming it up like any other males of a species. And in a few instances, I've seen these parents chase down butt-naked space babies, looking like any other frantic and embarassed parent, looking around apologetically at any viewers.

Vertumnus, from the moment he could walk, liked to follow Go'ma around, hanging onto a leg or hand and sometimes crawling after him. Go'ma would take his hand sometimes and bounce, bounce, bounce him up into the air. Go'ma's back was often hunched over, and stayed that way because of his small companion, until Verto turned about three. Verto thought it was pretty funny when he was two, to take off all of his clothes and run down the hall as fast as possible, making loud noises so that the neighbors would look. The single neighbors took to laughing, pointing, and being wise alecks. Go'ma or I would run quickly, but always loose him after trying not to crash into him at the same time. Usually, he would tire of this game once we were too far behind, but at others, when he felt more cheery about our folly, he'd like to go to the saloon and hide in the crowd. Har, har, har.

The most horrifying experience, nearly, I've ever had on the "castle" took place because of one of these naked-olympics. I was in third place at the saloon, ariving just after Verto and the second place Go'ma. Verto pointed at me. "_You lost_," he said, grinning widely. This was his new favorite phrase, passed onto him through Ana, who liked to have foot races and declare herself the winner no matter what.

I demanded he come back. Go'ma was looking at the flashed victims, eyebrows quirked apologetically. A young'en, Jera, stood behind Verto. "_You lost_," he repeated, laughing. "Can't you keep clothes on your own child? Apperantly not on yourself, either." He was referring to Go'mas lack of day-attire. "Nor your woman." He shrugged one shoulder, and grag-gragged it up merrily. I was wearing a robe, in my defense.

"Well, when you have children, I'll remind you of that," I said for a still-struck Go'ma, who looked like he was between processing what the young'en had just said and saying something nasty.

"Child," The young'en scoffed. "Is _that_ what you call that thing?"

I looked around at the crowd. This is so fucking unfair, I wanted to scream. Everyone was slowly filing out the doors or taking seats at the back of the saloon. The bar tender seemed highly pissed.

"Yes, that's what I call him." Verto had long since placed a hand around his father's leg protectively. Go'ma picked him up, and started to walk out the door,

"And you better stay away from it—us, too."

"Is that a threat, old man?" Old man? Since when had Go'ma turned into an old man? Was I an old woman, then?

"You can think whatever you want," Go'ma replied, before taking my hand up in his spare. I was scared and proud at the same time.

a/n. Kae-Shi-Katsumi; How many words is long enough? Lol.

the greatest Boba Fett Fan; Verto is only four. Tehee. I cheat!

Irish; Yessem. I had a very good bond w/ my dad from day 1. In many ways, Peg is a lot like me. But very different still.

Nasty Girl; I'm glad you think it's nice.

Thank you guys for all your reviews! Their so much fun to read. GGG. I've got eighteen! BWHAHAHAHA!


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